Colombia: humanitarian operation frees ten held by FARC-EP

02-04-2012 Photo gallery

Four members of the armed forces and six police officers released by the FARC-EP arrived on Monday evening at Villavicencio in a helicopter provided by the Brazilian government and bearing the insignia of the ICRC. After 13 or 14 years in captivity, the ten were handed over to a humanitarian team consisting of members of Colombianas y Colombianos por la Paz (Colombians for peace) and ICRC delegates. “We’re delighted at the success of this operation, which in one single day has reunited 10 families who had been waiting for so many years,” said Jordi Raich, head of the ICRC’s Colombia delegation. “Today marks the end of the families’ suffering, and that is a source of great satisfaction to us.”